Post on 21-Aug-2021
transcript
LONG BEACH HIGH SCHOOL (Poly)
CALIFORNIA’S FIRST STATE CHAMPION IN FOOTBALL
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1919
TOURNAMENT PARK, PASADENA
21 – 14 over Berkeley High School
And
CHAMPIONS OF THE SOUTHWEST
102 - 0 over Phoenix High School
January 20, 1920
Ninth historical “tidbit.”
Long Beach High School (now called Long Beach “Polytechnic”) won
the first California State Football Championship defeating the Berkeley
High School Yellowjackets by a score of 21 – 14 on December 27, 1919.
The State CIF had tried to play the state football championships for three
years prior but was unable to get a game organized due to a flu epidemic
and scheduling conflicts. Here are some historical “tidbits” from that first
Championship game:
From the minutes of the March 8, 1919 State CIF meeting: “It was moved, seconded, and carried that there be no award of a
State Championship for football for the year 1918 because the
Spanish influenza had prevented the sections from completing
their schedule.”
Rose Bowl officials organized the game to be held annually at the
Pasadena Tournament Park on the Saturday preceding the New
Year’s game which in 1919 was Harvard vs. Oregon.
The game was played at 2:00 p.m. in the afternoon with ticket
prices set at 25 & 50 cents, $1.10 and World War I taxes were
included.
Long Beach defeated Dinuba 41 - 0 in the semi-final game played
before one of the largest crowds ever to see a sporting event in
Fresno. Dinuba protested the game saying that a Long Beach
player was completing his ninth semester of school work which
was against the state rules…the protest was not upheld.
A “Governor’s Trophy” was presented to Long Beach for being the
State Champions.
Both teams had defeated local “college” teams and Berkeley
scrimmaged regularly against the University of California frosh
team.
In addition to their official nicknames, many called Berkeley the
“University Eleven” and the Jackrabbits were referred to as the
“Seasiders.”
Berkeley’s uniforms were the same color as the Harvard team and
when the two squads just happened to practice on the same field
many felt it was attempt to scare the Oregon boys who brought
three full teams to the Rose Bowl and Harvard only two.
1920 Rose Bowl…Harvard 7 – Oregon 6
Long Beach was favored by three touchdowns because of their
bulk…their line averaged 175 pound and the fact that many local
Trojan alumni said the Jackrabbits could have beaten USC’s frosh
team. Coach Hunt of Berkeley said his team average was 158
pounds.
One of Berkeley’s victories was by a score of 116 to 0 over
Tamalpais Union High School and they twice trounced the
University of California’s J.V’s.
In their eleven games, Berkeley had scored 520 points and gave up
only 51. In ten games, Long Beach had scored 413 markers and
allowed just 14.
12,000 fans were in attendance.
It was said that Berkeley outplayed Long Beach and made twice as
many yards rushing the ball. One sports writer wrote, “All during
the first two periods Long Beach stood up like telegraph poles as if
to get a better view of the proceedings…and the Berkeley backs
made monkeys of them.” Long Beach scored on two long runs and
pass for a touchdown and Berkeley ground out two long drives for
their scores.
There were several holding penalties during the game at crucial
times and a “Los Angeles Times” reporter wrote, “A man would
make a long run and then be called back for a teammate’s
misconduct.”
The stars for Long Beach were “Hoggy” Evans, Capt. Chet Dolley
and Lawson. The stars for Berkeley were Cheek, Dunn, Witter and
Dickson.
Members of Scott High School out of Toledo, interscholastic
champions of the East, were also in town on their way to play
Everett High School of Washington state for what some referred to
as the mythical National Championship. Scotts’ head coach Pat
Dwyer even gave a pep talk to the Jackrabbits during intermission
and, “put some zip” in the Long Beach linemen.
Long Beach was coached by Ed Keinholz and Berkeley by E. P.
Hunt.
Immediately after the game, the undefeated Phoenix High School
of Arizona (six-time state champions) challenged the Jackrabbits to
a game played in Long Beach for the Championship of the
Southwest.
The game was played January 10, 1920 on the campus of Long
Beach High School. The grandstand had been enlarged and circus
seats were obtained to accommodate a large crowd on the
Seasider’s field. Phoenix coach Francis Geary, a former 1904 All
American at Fordham, also wanted to take on the winner of the
Everett/Toledo game.
Long Beach High School overwhelmed the Phoenix High School
Coyotes 102 to 0. The day became known in Long Beach as the
“Big 102” as fifteen touchdowns were scored…running back
Tiernan carried for 333 yards and LeFevre covered another 205
yards on the gridiron. It was said that the Seasiders where mad
about their State Championship game performance. A humorous
twist of the game was told by Harry J. Moore, the first President of
the CIFSS Council and an administrator in Long Beach:
“A close game had been anticipated and Long Beach
merchants had offered prizes of hats, shirts, ties and
so forth to players scoring touchdowns. Late in the
rout the backs decided that they’d won enough prizes
and so allowed linemen to score the remainder of the
touchdowns and collect their share of the
haberdashery.”
“Los Angeles Times”
February 4, 1954